Electric controller



June 25, 1929. I c, w. w N 1,718,269

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER Original Filed June 14, 1918 Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,718,269 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. WYMAN, OF CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

Original application filed June 14, 1918, Serial No. 240,035. Divided and this application filed June 14, 1922. Serial No. 568,337.

This invention relates to electrical controllers for mining and other machines, and has for an object the provision of an mproved controller of this character hav ng means for reducing the sparking or arc ng within the apparatus during the operation thereof and for minimizing the effect of such sparking or arcing.

In the accompanying drawings I have for purposes of illustration shown one form which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a controller box constructed in accordance with the iiivention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows seen thereon, and showing the fuse plug locked against removal and the controller handle unlocked. I

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 1, showing the means for positioning the controller handle.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes a part of a controller box or casing containing a plate 3 secured to and spaced from the front wall of said casing by means of bolts 30 and spacing sleeves 37, respectively. Suitably attached, as by bolts 2, to one face I of the plate 3, is an insulating casing 6 containing a hollow line terminal 5 disposed opposite an opening 32 in the plate. On the opposite face of the plate 3 IS a series of contacts 7 conveniently arranged in an arc of a circle and between which and said plate is preferably interposed an insulating lining 8. A brush 9 is adapted to wipe over the contacts 7, said brush being slidably mounted in a head 11 and being pressed toward said contacts by a spring 33 interposed between said brush and a follower 3 1 which engages an insulating lining 36 secured to the front wall of the casing 1. The head 11 is connected by an arm 13 with a terminal 15 in axial alinement with the line terminal .5. The arm 13 and terminal 15 are secured, as by bolts, 12, to an insulating plate 17, the later in turn being secured, as by bolts 14, to a collar 19 of a hollow shaft 21 arranged coaxial with the terminals 5 and 15 and journaled in an opening in the casing 1. Secured to the plate 17 by the bolts 14 is an insulating shield 16 which encloses the terminal l5 and the bolts 12 to prevent arcing between said parts and the contacts 7. The shield 16 carries an insulating sleeve or bushing 18 coaxially disposed with respect to the shaft 21 and bridging the space between the terminal 15 and the plate Exterior to the casing 1 the shaft 21 is provided with a handle 23 secured to said shaft by a set screw 20 which passes through the hub 22 of said handle and engages said shaft. Vhen said handle is rocked it operates, through the shaft 21, to move the brush 9 over the contacts 7. To position the handle with respect to the contacts 7, a segment 25 is secured to or formed integral with the casing 1, said segment being provided with a series of re cesses or indentations 27 to receive a roller 28 carried by a spring pressed pin 31 slidably mounted in a boss 29 formed on the handle 23.

Pivoted at 24 to the arm 13 is an arm 26 carrying at its end a roller 40. Between the arm 26 and the insulating plate 17 is interposed a spring 38 tending normally to press the roller 40 toward the plate 3. The follower 34 is also preferably provided with a laterally extending lip 47 overlapping the arm 26 and its spring 38 in such a manner as to protect those members from arcing between the same and the contacts 7 when the controller is operated as hereinafter described. As the shaft 21 is rotated the roller 40 engages successively a series of studs 42 carried by the plate 3, said studs corresponding in number and arrangement to the contacts 7, and each being connected with the adjacent contact through a, blow-out coil 43. The arrangement is such that. as the handle 23 is turned toward the off position, the roller 40 is brought into engagement with a stud 42 before the brush 9 passes out of engagement with the corresponding contact 7. The circuit between the terminal 15 and contact 7 is therefore closed through the arm 26, roller 40, stud 12, and blow-out coil 13 before it is broken between said contact and the brush 9, so that no arc is drawn between said brush and contact when they are separated. When the roller 40 and stud 12 are subsequently separated, the are drawn between them is immediately extinguished by the blow-out coil 43. B 7 this means, it will be seen, any arcing inci ental to the passage of the brush 9 from one contact 7 to another will take place between the roller 40 and studs 42, rather than between the brush 9 and contacts 7 thereby preventing injury to the latter. It will also be seen that this arcing is reduced to a minimum by the action of the blow-out coils 43. It will further more be seen that each of the blow-out coils is energized only during the separation of the corresponding connector elements, when current flow through said coil is needed to extinguish an are, so that all difliculties arising from heating or waste of current due to unnecessary current flow through the coils are avoided. I

To connect the line terminal 5 with the brush terminal 15, there is provided a fuse plug adapted to be introduced into the hollow shaft 21 and to seat in an insulating bushing 46 therein, said fuse plug containing a suitable fuse (not shown) and having a terminal39 adapted to engagethe line terminal '5, a terminal 41 adapted to engage the brush terminal 15, and a handle 57 at its outer end whereby said fuse plug may be conveniently removed. The particular construction of the fuse plug per se forms no portion of the present invention and, being of a type well known in the art, this fuse plug requires no further description in detail herein.

This applicatlon 1s a CllVlSlOIl or my copending application, Serial No. 240,035, filed June 14, 1918, electrical controllers.

lVhile I have in this application specif- 'ically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isi 1. In an electrical controller, in combination, a series of contacts, a brush movable bers connected with saidfirst named contact members respectively, said two series of con- .tact members having their contact surfaces in planes parallel to the same plane, and means moving with said brush to cause drawing of an are only from said supplemental contact members, said means being resiliently positioned for movement in planes perpendicular to said planes first mentioned.

2. In an electrical controller, in combination, a series of contacts, a brush movable to engage said contact members successively, and a series of supplemental contact members connected with said first named contact members respectively, said two series of contact members having their contact surfaces in planes parallel to the same plane, and

means moving with said brush tocause drawing of an are only from said supplemental contact members, said means and brush being mounted for movement in planes perpendicular to said planes first mentioned.

3. In an electrical controller, in combination, a series of contacts, a brush rotatably mounted and movable successively =into engagement with said contact members, and a series of supplemental contact members connected with said first named contact members respectively, said two series of contact members having their contact surfaces in planes parallel to the same plane, and means moving with said brush to cause drawing of an are only from said supplemental contact members, said means including a roller rotatable on an axis in a plane parallel to a plane parallel to the axis of rotary movement of said brush and adapted to engage said supplemental contacts.

4. In an electrical controller, in combination, a series of contacts, a brush rotatably mounted and movable successively into engagement with said contact members, and a series of supplemental contact members connected with said first named contact members respectively, said two series of contact members having their contact surfaces in planes parallel to the same plane, and means moving with said brush to cause drawing of an are only from said supplemental contact members, said means including a roller rotatable on an axis in a plane parallel to a plane parallel to the axis of rotary movement of said brush and adapted to engage said supplemental contacts, and supporting means for said roller permitting pivotal movement thereof towards and from the contacts of said second series.

5. In an electrical controller, a plurality of contacts connected to each other, a contact member movable over said contacts to progressiw ely vary the resistance of a circuit, a plurality of supplemental contacts engageable with said contact member, means for transferring current carried by one of the main contacts to a supplemental contact when said member is moved in a direction to efi 'cct an increase of resistance, and means for extinguishing an are at said supplemental contact.

6. In an electrical controller, a series of contacts, a contact member movable over said contacts. to progressively vary the resistance of a circuit, a corresponding series of supplemental contacts engageable with said contact member, and meansincluding a blow out coil for conducting. current a brush adapted to successively engage said tact before said brush leaves the correspondcontaets to progressively vary the resistance ing main contact, and a blow out coil adjaof a circuit, a plurality of supplemental concent each of said supplen'iental contacts for 1 tacts one of the same being electrically conextinguishing an arc.

5 nccted to each of the main contacts, means In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

carried by said controller arm to establish flow of current through a supplemental con CHARLES V. VYMAN. 

